The Shifting of Singapore's River Mouth – 新加坡氣口的遷移
When Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore in 1819, the island country’s main Water Mouth (水口), a Qi mouth, was largely occupied by swamps, forests and hills.
“There was nothing but impenetrable forests to the water’s edge in all directions. The only open space that was not occupied by forests was the Temenggong’s compound in which a small community of people resided.
There was a rocky point near to the mouth of Singapore River, which had a tooth-like rock formation. This gave rise to the name “Dragon Teeth Strait”《凌牙門》出自国古代文献《岛夷志略》, which the locals and travelers alike used to call the area near the mouth of Singapore River.”
Source: Physical Changes of Singapore River
Since Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore, the Singapore River had served for several decades as the Port of Singapore and its commercial centre, witnessing the growth of Singapore from a small village to a developed country with a population of more than 4.6 million.
In the mid 1990s, the river was further divided into 3 main quays, Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay, each of which were designated for different commercial purposes.
For over 190 years, city planners from the time of Raffles up to now have done an excellent job in maximizing best potential this main Water Dragon of Singapore.
Pollution was kept to a minimal. No sharp turns were introduced despite the gradual movement of the Water Mouth location from Fullerton Hotel to Raffles Boulevard. Such measures ensure that the macro Feng Shui of Singapore is preserved throughout.
“The entrance to the river was originally about where the back of Fullerton Building now stands……In 1843, the clearing of ‘Rocky Point’ at the river-mouth to build Fort Fullerton, resulted in the destruction and removal of the huge rock. A remnant slab, now on exhibit at the Singapore History Museum, formerly the National Museum, became known as the Singapore Stone…..Land reclamation in the late 1850s, to build a seawall from south-west of the river-mouth to Teluk Ayer, brought the mouth of the river a little further outwards towards the sea. Here was where the Master Attendants Office stood, opposite the side of today’s Fullerton Building. In early photgraphs of the Singapore River mouth, the Cavenagh Bridge (1867) can be seen close to the river entrance.”
Source: Mouth of Singapore River
Singapore River Map 1983